However, you can always mold it in such a way so as not to cause physical harm to yourself.

If you are underweight, then I am sure that pasta, potatoes, rice, etc...will help you add a few pounds!

Now, if you are overweight, it's a bit harder, as everything lenten seems to be high in carbohydrates. However, you can focus on nuts, greens, salads, fruits, etc. Or just give up trying to lose weight during the fast and simply keep the fast, with the goal of losing weight afterwards.

Remember, there is also no DIET on Feast days! Therefore, you are allowed to eat what you like on Christmas, and then diet like crazy until Great Lent begins!

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Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

However, you can always mold it in such a way so as not to cause physical harm to yourself.

If you are underweight, then I am sure that pasta, potatoes, rice, etc...will help you add a few pounds!

Now, if you are overweight, it's a bit harder, as everything lenten seems to be high in carbohydrates. However, you can focus on nuts, greens, salads, fruits, etc. Or just give up trying to lose weight during the fast and simply keep the fast, with the goal of losing weight afterwards.

Remember, there is also no DIET on Feast days! Therefore, you are allowed to eat what you like on Christmas, and then diet like crazy until Great Lent begins!

I mean underweight.

« Last Edit: December 26, 2011, 09:44:36 PM by Anastasia1 »

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Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 2:6)

Ok, what if you can't afford (financially) to completely go vegan? Do priests let you go easy for the first couple of years?

If they don't, run! Don't get me wrong, it's not supposed to be easy. That kind of things being a struggle is part of the way it helps... but, there are limits, especially if you are either new to it and/or dealing with special circumstances. There are some things which you should be obedient to your priest on, but things that hurt your health (physical or otherwise) aren't included IMO.

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"Christian America is finally waking up to what fraternities and biker gangs have known for years: hazing works!"

The Church is a Hospital for Sinners. The fasting guidelines of the Church are just that, guidelines. Nowhere is it written "if thou eatest a hamburger on a day of fasting, thou shalt burnest in the deepest and hottest pits of hell."

It doesn't work that way.

The idea of fasting is to bring you closer to Christ and His Church; not to cause you physical harm. Talk to your priest about your physical and financial concerns. I can assure you that he has probably heard similar concerns from other parishioners, and can help you ease into the fast.

Also, if you are not christmated in the Church and cannot receive communion, it is not generally advised that you follow a strict fast, since you are unable to draw strength from the body and blood of Christ.

Although the Church has set general guidelines for how the fast should be followed, fasting is a very personal thing. It is no coincidence that on Forgiveness Sunday, the Sunday before Great Lent "officially" begins, the Epistle reading is St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4. We are not to judge one another in how we fast, or how we observe the fast. Each of us has different physical and spiritual needs. God is a god of mercy and understands this.

So please, speak with your priest, and he will advise you accordingly.

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"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jer 29:11

vegan food is actually cheaper than meat.i know this coz i was extremely poor when i was a student, and my diet consisted mainly of vegetables, apples, rice, bread and lentils. nothing fancy like vegeburgers or quorn mince or soy milk. i would eat occasional poor quality minced meat and consume some milk and a little cheese. in every country there is a type of bean or lentil that is native to that country and is very cheap. in many countries cornmeal is cheaper than wheat, and there are always cheap vegetables in season (cheaper than meat anyway). in the uk cabbage, carrots and potatoes are the cheapest vegetables. i used to live on these.people used to think i was vegan (i was a meat eater when i could get it!) and i wasn't even orthodox. maybe this is why i love fasting food now, coz i got used to it. even when i ate meat, i would add a load of lentils to make the meat stretch further.

this is why many poor people throughout the world eat an almost lentern diet throughout the year.as for not loosing weight, it's hard not to loose a little, so try to gain 2 extra kilos before the fast, and eat plenty of chips (on days when oil is allowed) and plenty of nuts at other times.i was eating some hazelnuts recently that were 67% fat! they were not cheap though, so maybe stick to the chips if u have a tight budget.if you want to try fasting, then maybe try the coptic way - we get to eat oil every day so u can have chips all the time! we don't eat shell fish during lent though, it's totally vegan.

fasting is only advised as part of a 'diet' of prayer, Bible study, caring for the poor and church attendance, so i suggest u speak to a priest or orthodox friend (if u don't have a priest) for advice before starting.when i started fasting, i started gently, by just cutting out meat but eating fish, eggs and dairy products - so it's good to take it slowly until u get used to it, as others here have wisely suggested.may God bless u and guide u